74% Workers In India Worried About AI Replacing Their Jobs: Microsoft Report

The report showed that 75 per cent of Indian workers feel comfortable using AI not only for administrative tasks but also for analytical work and even creative aspects of their roles

AI chatbots replacing or reducing human workforce requirements has been a cause of concern for many, especially those engaged in back office jobs. 

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With generative artificial intelligence like ChatGPT and Brad AI garnering public attention, a Microsoft report has revealed that 74 per cent of Indian workers have expressed concerns about AI replacing their jobs. Although, the 'Work Trend Index 2023' report by Microsoft also highlights that over 83 per cent of respondents are willing to delegate tasks to AI in order to reduce their workloads. AI chatbots replacing or reducing human workforce requirements has been a cause of concern for many, especially those engaged in back office jobs. 

However, the Microsoft report said that 75 per cent of Indian workers feel comfortable using AI not only for administrative tasks (86 per cent) but also for analytical work (88 per cent) and even creative aspects of their roles (87 per cent).

The 2023 Work Trend Index surveyed 31,000 people across industries in 31 countries including 14 Asia Pacific markets as well as trillions of signals from emails, meetings, and chats across Microsoft 365, plus labor trends on LinkedIn. The data shows that the pace of work has accelerated faster than humans can keep up, and it’s impacting innovation, the report said.

Meanwhile, 100 per cent of Indian creative workers who are extremely familiar with AI would be comfortable using AI for creative aspects of their job. Managers in the country are 1.6 times more likely to believe that AI can enhance workplace productivity rather than result in job cuts.

The report further said with the mounting data overload, 76 per cent of Indian workers acknowledged insufficient time and energy to complete their tasks. These individuals are 3.1 times more likely to struggle with being innovative. Within the realm of Microsoft 365, the average person spends 57 per cent of their time on communication and only 43 per cent on creation. Additionally, a substantial 78 per cent of Indian workers admit to lacking uninterrupted focus during their workday.

The report also reveals that over 84 per cent of Indian leaders express concerns about the lack of innovation. Inefficient meetings are identified as a primary hindrance to productivity, with 46 per cent of Indian workers asserting that their absence in half or more of their meetings would go unnoticed by colleagues. 90 per cent of Indian leaders said that the employees they hire must acquire new skills to adapt to the growth of AI. Meanwhile, 78 per cent of Indian workers feel they currently lack the necessary capabilities to fulfill their work requirements.